Starlit Dragon
by Nicole4211
Summary: 400 years before the start of Fairy Tail, a tragic love story took place, setting events in motion which play out through the centuries...
1. Chapter 1

**Approvesport and I were chatting and inevitably this idea came into our heads. Now we can't get it out and we're going to pass it on to you guys now. We hope you like this idea. Hopefully you'll come to like the idea of them together as much as we do.**

**Check out the picture Approvesport did for them as well. So gorgeous!**

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**Starlit Dragon- Part 1**

Lightning split the sky with a loud crack which echoed over the landscape in a violent rush. Rain followed, coming down so fiercely it seemed as if it was trying to wash away all the pain and anguish that hung thickly in the air. Layla turned her head up and let the rain pound on her face, mixing with the hot, salty tears that relentlessly flowed from her eyes.

"We have to," she said, her words soft and broken as she turned her gaze back to the man holding her so tenderly. His raven hair was drenched, strands clinging wetly to his face while eyes as blue as the sky stared sadly down at her, a haunted look lingering behind their beauty. "There… there's no other option."

Reverently her hand wandered, tracing every line of his handsome face while letting the memory sink deep into her heart. What horrible events had brought them to this moment? What wicked fate would bring them together only to tear them apart when they'd finally found true love? Her heart was splitting in two, the pain so far beyond an ache that she could no longer believe that it was still beating.

Acnologia cupped her face and trailed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away the tears that were quickly replaced by new ones. Her beauty was breathtaking, even while sadness completely overwhelmed her features. Large brown eyes stared up at him, fringed in thick, dark lashes wet with tears. Her lips quivered with emotion and a sob broke through, causing his own throat to struggle holding back his own. "Why can't there be another way?" he cried, his fingers clenching the fabric of her cloak. His arms tightened and he pulled her against him, nearly crushing her smaller frame against his. He could feel her body trembling and she buried her face against him, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him even closer.

"I'm sorry Logi… I'm so sorry," she sobbed, her words muffled against his chest. "I can't do this. I don't want to leave you."

Acnologia grabbed her arms and pulled her away, staring down into her wide eyes. "You have to! I can't live without you. It'll destroy me. But I need to know you're safe… you and our baby."

A sound much like the thunder that was shaking the ground grew in the distance, signaling the approach of what they already knew was coming.

"I can't! My heart won't be able to take it."

Acnologia's eyes were rimmed in red and he shook his head solemnly. He tilted her face up to his and pressed his lips against her forehead. "You can do it. I know you can. You're the strongest person I know and you have someone else to be strong for as well."

He kissed her temples and then the tip of her nose. "I love you Layla. I'll always love you."

She sniffed loudly and drew her face back, "I love you too," she said, biting on her lip to keep the sobs from breaking free. "We'll be together again. I don't know how. But we'll be together again."

The sound grew louder and in the distance, tiny specs appeared over the horizon.

Acnologia sifted his fingers slowly through her wet hair, brushing the wayward strands away from her face. She was so beautiful, so precious. From the moment he'd laid eyes on her he'd been captivated and his heart had known instantly that she was the one for him. He hadn't cared what he'd had to do to win her. He'd have traveled to hell and back if that's what it had taken. And very nearly, it had. But that was well in the past now and a new set of horrors were upon them now, growing closer and closer with every gust of wind.

He dipped his head down and gently brushed his lips over hers, capturing their sweetness in a painfully perfect kiss that brought a fresh wave of tears to his eyes. He didn't want to let her go, didn't want to lose the warmth that seeped into him like the spring sun melting away the winter. But the shadow that was eating away the landscape was rapidly approaching, dozens upon dozens of dragons flying swiftly through the fierce storm.

He kissed her once again, desperation clawing at his insides. He could taste the saltiness of their tears as they kissed but he didn't care. This was the last time he'd be able to press his lips against hers, the last time he'd be able to hold her in his arms. The tempest-like wind that was whipping around them felt like a gentle breeze compared to the raging storm of emotion inside of him. He never wanted to let go, ever. But he knew he had to. Holding on to her meant death… for her and their unborn child. And with that thought in mind, he took the first torturous step back.

"It's time Layla," he said, wiping away the tears dripping down her face.

She took a deep breath and felt another rush of sadness sweep through her body, causing her hands to shake as she reached to her hip and grabbed the ring of golden keys. The dragons were close now and she watched them for a brief moment before turning back to Acnologia. "Don't let it possess you," she said, brushing her fingers over his brow. "Don't get lost in the magic."

Acnologia's brilliant blue eyes stared at her unflinchingly for a moment and then he nodded his head. "I won't," he answered. His hand gently grasped Layla's and he closed his fingers over hers, the keys inside. "I love you," he whispered and slowly released her hand as he stepped away, his eyes clouded in burning hot tears.

"I'll love you forever," she mouthed, the words barely audible before taking a long, quivering breath. She could barely see him anymore through the haze of tears covering her eyes but her heart could see him, could feel him next to her. Her hand lifted to reach for him again but on a choked sob she let it drop, knowing she had no choice. If somehow her soul manage to survive this, she would find him again. No matter what it took, she would find him and never ever let him go.

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back, turning her face up to the dark grey sky. The words she'd learned not long ago came tumbling through her lips like a chant and the storm picked up in speed, stirring her clothing which whipped viciously around her body.

Acnologia watched in dread, knowing that any second she would disappear from his life forever. Her keys flew into the air and spun around her like the hours on a clock, ticking down their last few moments together till suddenly the sun burst through the clouds. The rays of light captured her motionless body and she was bathed in sunlight, a sight more beautiful than anything he'd ever seen before.

He stared at her, speechless and stepped back. There was a moment of perfect clarity and she opened her eyes and smiled at him, her eyes saying good bye before, in a flash of blinding light, she vanished.

Acnologia fell to his knees and grabbed the sides of his head as he started to scream her name over and over again. She was gone. Nothing mattered now and time ceased to exist. A hole as black as the midnight sky opened up inside of him and he fell, plunging through the depths that seemed to never end till the shadow of a dragon appeared in front of him.

He turned his face slowly up to the creatures landing nearby, his eyes narrowing as he stood calmly to his feet. Something lit up inside him and he took his first step forward, letting the anger, pain and sorrow control his movement. Magic burst from his body in a sea of bright blue and he screamed the one word that was left to him, the one word that encapsulated the entirety of his feelings in that single moment… destroy.

To be continue...

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**So, what did you think? Do you like this pairing? I just love the idea of them together. I've always felt like something majorly tragic must have happened for Acnologia to have turned into a dragon, something as tragic as losing the love of his life. The idea of it being Lucy's mom came kind of out of the blue but I think it did because I don't like to think of her with Jude who seemed like such a jerk. Acno would be much better :D**

**PLEASE check out the picture Approvesport did. I have it as the Cover Photo for this story and it's also on my Tumblr and hers soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Starlit Dragon - Part 2**

On a wince of pain Layla's eyes shot open, blinking rapidly at the strange sky above. Total blackness painted the endless night while swirls of blue, pink, green, purple… nearly every color imaginable joyfully streaked across. Other realms floated like orbs in no pattern she could see, some flying quickly around while others took a slower pace around some central force.

She'd been here for over seven months now and she still hadn't gotten used to it. Her dreams were closer to reality, much tamer than the strangeness surrounding her in the spirit world… even if they were the most horrible nightmares she'd ever experienced.

Her stomach twisted on another spasm and she cringed, clenching her teeth as she waited for the pain to subside. Her time was fast approaching and she knew that any day now she would have to leave. That had been the plan, for her to stay throughout the duration of her pregnancy and then return to the world of the living when the horrors that had been plaguing it were long over.

So many times she'd wanted to leave earlier, though not from any lack of hospitality. The spirits had been great, treating her like a queen and taking care of every tiny little thing she needed. But she'd missed Acnologia terribly. Not a second of the day had gone by that she hadn't thought of him, hadn't felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. It was only the bump on her belly that kept her from breaking her promise to him and the fear of what would happen if she returned… the fear of what she would find.

He was the most powerful mage she'd ever seen, arguably the most powerful mage in the land. But against dozens upon dozens of angry dragons, what did that mean? How could he possibly stand a chance? In her heart she believed he survived. But there was no way for her to know. They'd been informed before making the decision to send her to the spirit world that time did not flow the same way it did in Earthland. There was no telling how much time would have passed when she returned. All she could do was hope… hope that he had survived and that they would soon be reunited with all the bad buried away in the past.

A long hiss slipped between her teeth as the pain in her belly worsened and she grabbed the sheets beside her, gripping them tightly. Could it possibly be time? She tried sitting up but another wave of agony ripped through her and she fell back on the sheets, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes tightly shut. She didn't know when they arrived but soon her female spirits surrounded her and after many, many hours, a baby with large brown eyes blinked dreamily up at the world.

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His chest was heaving with the effort to breathe, oxygen stinging his lungs as he stood there surrounded by countless lifeless dragon bodies. The field was littered with them, acre upon acre drenched in the awful red blood that even stained the stream till it looked like a crimson thread weaving its way through a green canvas. It was a horrible sight, one that would linger in his mind for the rest of his life… one that he'd created.

It had gone by in a blur, time ceasing to exist. The memory of killing even a single dragon was non-existent in his brain but the evidence was clear enough. Something had taken over him, possessed him to the point where he'd no longer been himself or even conscious of what he'd been doing. One moment he'd been screaming at fate for taking his love away and the next, he'd been kneeling in the mess, staring hazily at the world surrounding him.

He took a shaky step up, rising to his feet while he stared down at his blood soaked hands. Beneath the layer of red, his skin was cracked and hard, tinted a dusty shade of grey that reached all the way up his arms and even covered part of his chest. He'd seen this before, but never to this degree and it always faded away quickly, never lingering long after battle. But here he stood, possibly hours after swinging his last blow and still it remained.

The dark clouds overhead ceased their downpour, thinning out as night crept over the land. Acnologia stared up at the few stars that peeked through, the brilliantly pure light filling his chest with sorrow. She was gone now, as far out of reach as the twinkles of light that she'd always loved. Moisture blurred his vision and he swiped a scaled hand over them, scratching his skin with their hard and sharp edges.

A curse burst between his lips and he growled in frustration. Why did it have to be this way? Why had their love been fated for doom?

An echo of thunder rumbled in the distance and he blinked up at the nearly empty sky. That sound was all too familiar now and he took a deep breath, preparing himself for the endless battle which was soon to reignite. "I love you Layla," he whispered, feeling the words resonate deeply within. "I will destroy them all… every last one. Then we'll be together again."

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Holding the tiny bundle close to her chest, Layla walked determinedly down the worn path, passing small cottages with shrubbery and small flowers quaintly decorating the little village. Earlier that morning she'd said good bye to the home she'd known over the past seven months and now she was back in Earthland, feeling as if she'd once again entered a foreign universe. Everything looked the same, but it felt different. She didn't know what it was, but something wasn't right.

She found a small shop with a crooked wooden sign and made her way inside, smiling at the small lady who was perched atop a high bar stool. "Good day," she said, stepping closer to the counter.

"Hello there. What can I do for you and your little one?"

Layla placed a gentle kiss to the bundles forehead. "I was wondering, could you tell me what the date is today?"

The lady looked at her strangely, her grey brows winging up. "You're a little young to be forgetting such things. It's July 1, X767. And a beautiful day I might add."

"X767?!" Layla gasped. Her heart started to beat frantically and panic crept inside.

"Yes dear. Are you ok?"

Distractedly Layla nodded her head and excused herself, walking back out to the road while hugging her baby close. "400 years… how is that possible? It can't be. She must be…" A black and white sheet of paper went tumbling by, caught by the wind till it stopped a few feet away. She stepped in front of it and looked down, disbelief making her throat constrict.

_July 1, X767_

Aimlessly she walked after that, feeling like she'd entered a dream… one that was beyond even her worst nightmares in the spirit world. 400 years meant that her love was gone. Her Acnologia was a distant memory in the present day. The grief threatened to bring her to her knees but her little bundle started crying in her arms and she took a shuddering breath and pushed the pain aside, determined to not be defeated.

Time stretched on as far as the road she traveled and eventually she came to a stop. _Love &amp; Lucky _she read on the sign, finding the name oddly interesting. Her luck so far certainly hadn't been much but maybe, just maybe that was all about to change.

To be continued

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**So, sorry if there are any errors. I'm rushing out the door and I wanted to publish this before I left. **

**Thank you all for the encouraging reviews in the last chapter. I'm glad I was able to make a few of you Laylogia shippers lol. **

**One more part to come...**


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